Alpha Iota
Initiation Ritual
1936
First Degree Ritual
of Initiation
Paraphernalia
needed: Eight candles; one to be used as a torch (4 blue candles and 4 white
candles); a coat of arms banner and a pin banner; a gavel; a blindfold for each
initiate; and a rose for each initiate.
The
officers (in pairs) march in to music in the following order:
Vice-President
and President
Treasurer
and Chaplain
Secretary
and Historian
As
they reach a point before the altar they separate—the President marching to
the right and the Vice-President to the left; the Chaplain to the right and the
Treasurer to the left, etc. When they reach their places behind the altar, they
stand facing the members with the President in the center, the Vice-President,
Treasurer, and Secretary on her right in the order named; and the Chaplain and
Historian on her left The Marshal should be stationed at the door to collect the
password as each member enters the meeting room. A chair should be reserved for
the Marshal at the altar next to the Historian.
Opening Ceremony
PRESIDENT:
What is the time, Sister Secretary?
SECRETARY:
It is now … o’clock.
PRESIDENT:
It is then time to devote ourselves to a serious contemplation of our beloved
Alpha Iota. Sister Marshal, have you collected the password and are all present
in good standing?
MARSHAL,
standing inside the door: Sister
President, all present are in good standing and the password has been collected
from each of them.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Marshal, you will see
that the doors to our meeting place are securely guarded and the shades drawn so
that none who is unworthy may enter or observe.
Marshal
closes door. President raps three times. Members rise. National anthem is
played. The Flag is brought by the Marshal from the rear of the room and is
placed at the right and in front of the altar. An Alpha Iota song is introduced.
The Marshal takes her place at altar, and then members join in singing this
Sorority song.
PRESIDENT:
Our Chaplain will now petition
for wisdom and guidance in the further contemplation of our Sorority.
CHAPLAIN:
Almighty and all-seeing One,
Alpha of the Universe, we acknowledge Thee in all things. As Thy daughters, we
would glorify Thee by our works. In our hearts are Thy temples and our deeds are
the sacrifices we make unto Thee. Keep us pure and undefiled that we may bring
the blessing of heaven to earth, and make our Sorority the dwelling place of Thy
holy peace. Let no dissention enter here; but make us true Sisters working
together for the advancement of Thy Kingdom while we “Strive to show ourselves
approved.” Amen.
President
raps once with her gavel to seat members. Officers remain standing.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Vice-President, what are
the purposes of Alpha Iota?
VICE-PRESIDENT:
Alpha Iota teaches us that we
cannot live unto ourselves alone, that friendship is above price; that we profit
only as we serve. It teaches us also to be loyal to our friends, to our Sisters
everywhere, and to our school. It stands for the highest standards in business
life and in private morals. Its aim is to make of us, every one, better women
that we may add our mite to the general happiness and well-being of the
community in which we live.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Marshal, what is the
bond that unites all the members of this Sorority?
MARSHAL:
Our bond is, “Study to show
thyself approved.”
PRESIDENT:
Sister Historian, how should
Sisters of Alpha Iota meet?
HISTORIAN:
Those who have been initiated
into the mysteries of our Sorority should meet as Sisters of the blood—sharing
home, sympathy, affection, and if need be, our worldly goods.
President
raps three times, members stand, clasp hands, and repeat the following pledge in
unison.
MEMBERS:
My Sisters, I pledge to you my
loyalty and friendship.
PRESIDENT:
Sisters, we have pledged
ourselves to each other. In this binding tie, let us in all seriousness and with
as much expedition as possible approach the tasks that lie before us. “Study
to show thyself approved.”
Sister Marshal, I now
declare … Chapter of Alpha Iota duly opened. We shall now proceed with the
initiation of new members.
Initiation
Part I
If
there is a large doss of pledges, this ceremony will be more impressive if Parts
1 and 2 are given on a day Previous to Part 3.
Candidates
should be assembled in a room adjoining initiation chamber under the supervision
of the Pledge Captain who should impress the class with the solemnity of this
ceremony. Pledges should be silent. The Pledge Captain and President should each
have a list of the names of the Pledges in the order they are to be Presented
before the altar. Pledges should be blindfolded and placed in this aider, with
each Pledge having her right hand on the right shoulder of the Pledge before
her. Marshal takes her place at the door. When all is in readiness the Pledge
Captain RAPS TWICE on the door of initiation chamber.
MARSHAL:
Who are these trespassing upon
our threshold?
PLEDGE
CAPTAIN: They are candidates
for initiation into Alpha Iota, International Honorary Business Sorority.
MARSHAL:
Have they passed all the tests
given thus far?
PLEDGE
CAPTAIN: They have.
MARSHAL:
Sister President, the
candidates await your command.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Marshal, conduct these
initiates into the chapter room that we may further examine them as to their
eligibility.
Music
should be played while Pledges march into initiation chamber. Music played very
softly in an adjoining room adds much to the effectiveness of this ceremony. The
Marshal, assisted by the Pledge Captain, should guide hue of Pledges to Position
in front of altar.
PRESIDENT:
Pledges, raise your right hand
and assume the vow of secrecy, repeating after me: “I (give your full name in
unison), / do solemnly swear / that I will keep secret / every word and deed /
pertaining to this initiation into Alpha Iota / and will never reveal them /
except to one duly authorized to know them, / whether I am admitted to full
membership or not. / So help me, God.”
Pledges
may lower their right hands.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Marshal, you will
conduct the pledges from the room to await further instructions.
The
Marshal and Pledge Captain guide the Pledges from the room, each
Pledge
having her right hand on the right shoulder of the Pledge before
her.
There should be music during the marching. The Marshal returns to
the
initiation chamber. Pledges should remain silent at all tinies in outer
rooms
under the supervision of the Pledge Captain. Blindfolds niay be removed
while
Pledges are awaiting further initiation.
Part II
President
explains to assembly of members that after the questioning of the Pledge,
balloting is done by all members present, knocking one at a time, beginning at
the right of the President. There should be a Pause of exactly five seconds
between each knock, and the President knocks last. The knocking must be properly
timed to be effective and impressive. This may be accomplished if each member
will count five slowly before knocking. If the ballot is favorable, at a signal
from the President, the members say, “All is well,” in unison.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Marshal, you will
communicate with the Pledge Captain and have her prepare the Pledges for further
initiation. Then you may present them one at a time before the altar.
Pledges,
blindfolded, are presented one at a time for final ballot. Alpha Iota songs
should be played softly as each one enters and leaves the initiation chamber.
MARSHAL:
Sister President, may I present
Pledge
PRESIDENT:
Pledge , it is our desire to
determine whether you are eligible for further initiation into Alpha Iota.
You will answer
satisfactorily and honestly the questions asked you. Your answers will decide
whether you will receive the final initiation.
The
replies to the following two questions should be memorized by each Pledge before
initiation.
What does Alpha Iota
teach us?
“Alpha Iota teaches
us that we cannot live unto ourselves alone, that friendship is above price;
that we profit only as we serve. It teaches us also to be loyal to our friends,
to our Sisters everywhere, and to our school. It stands for the highest
standards in business life and in private morals. Its aim is to make us, every
one, better women that we may add our mite to the general happiness and
well-being of the community in which we live.”
What should be the
attitude of Alpha Iota sisters toward each other?
“Those who have
been initiated into the mysteries of our Sorority should meet as sisters of the
blood—sharing home, sympathy, affection, and if need be, our worldly goods.”
What benefit do you
personally expect to gain through your membership in Alpha Iota?
How may Alpha Iota
expect to benefit through your membership?
It may be
necessary for the President to question the Pledge until she states that her
object pertains to good fellowship and the best interests of the Sorority.
PRESIDENT:
Members of Alpha Iota, are
there any other questions you would like to have asked of this pledge? Pause. There appear to be no more.
Sisters in Alpha
Iota, we shall at this time ballot on Pledge …. One knock on wood with the
knuckles of the right hand will signify your willingness to see her go through
with this initiation. A single failure to knock signifies disfavor.
If
the ballot is favorable, at a signal from the President the members say, “All
is well;’ in unison.
Sister Marshal, you
will conduct Pledge … into the outer room where she may meditate before taking
the final vows.
After
all pledges have passed this stage af the initiation, proceed with Part 3.
Part III
When
Parts I and II are given on a previous date, the Opening Ceremony should precede
Part 3; except, of course, when the charter members of a new chapter are being
initiated, in which case, the Opening Ceremony would necessarily be omitted.
The
Pledges should be assembled in an outer room under the supervision of the Pledge
Captain.
PRESIDENT:
Sisters Secretary and Marshal,
you will present the Pledges for final initiation.
SECRETARY
AND MARSHAL: All is well.
Music.
Secretary and Marshal meet in front of altar and march to rear of room. Pledges
enter still masked, walking in double column, and led by the Secretary and
Marshal. Soft music while pledges are led into room and seated in chairs
arranged in a semi-circle before the altar. Then the Secretary and Marshal take
their places at the altar.
SECRETARY:
As the body without the spirit
is dead, so FAITH without works is dead, also.
TREASURER:
Now the God of Hope fill you
with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in HOPE, through the
power of the Holy Ghost.
VICE-PRESIDENT:
And now abideth FAITH, HOPE,
CHARITY, these three, but the greatest of these is CHARITY.
PRESIDENT:
Hatred stirreth up strife, but
LOVE covereth all sins.
CHAPLAIN:
Whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are HONEST, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if
there is any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
HISTORIAN:
Whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you might be partakers of
the divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to
virtue, knowledge.
MARSHAL:
That which we have seen and
heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have FELLOWSHIP with us.
Honorable President,
these Pledges before you have proved themselves worthy of membership in Alpha
Iota, the International Honorary Sorority of Business. They are still in
darkness groping for the light.
PRESIDENT:
Pledges, you must pass through
darkness to reach the light. As the darkness into which you have been placed
signifies your ignorance of the great lessons which our Sorority teaches, so now
there must be light, revealing unto you some of the lessons which should be the
guide of your life henceforth.
Darkness will be
dispelled, the gate of mystery be passed, and the full light shine forever; the
lights of which, those of our Sorority are but symbols. In Alpha Iota we have
seven candles which will reveal unto you the lessons they teach.
Have
seven candles, alternating blue and white, ready to be lighted.
Sisters Secretary and
Marshal, you will now remove the masks in order that our newly constituted
Sisters may see the light.
SECRETARY
AND MARSHAL: Let there be
light.
Music
while masks are removed.
Music
may be played VERY softly in an adjoining room throughout the candle-lighting
ceremony. When the Secretary and Marshal return to the altar, they and the other
officers, except the President, take one or two steps backward so that they will
be standing about two feet back of the altar.
Then
each one steps forward to light a candle when called upon by the President.
PRESIDENT:
That the light of our Sorority
may shine into all the world and that you, my Sisters, may be instructed in its
teachings, I shall now light the candle which represents ALPHA, the light that
was in the beginning, and from which all light sprang.
President
lights the torch, a white candle, when, she says “Alpha.”
You will now be
instructed by the Officers. Sister Secretary.
The
Secretary steps forward to receive the torch with which she will light the first
blue candle farthest to her right as she says the underlined word.
SECRETARY:
With this torch, symbolic of
the Divine fire which creates the finer and the nobler things in our lives, I
now light the candle of FAITH. It is faith in ourselves and in our God which
sustains and supports us in our most severe trials and temptations. Without
Faith we should be deprived of our trust in mankind and our belief in God. This
is to teach you that we have faith in you, faith in your desire to deal honestly
with everyone, to lead a clean and upright life, to bestow charity wherever it
is needed, and to hope for the best in life and in love. As we have Faith in
you, so also have you Faith in us.
As
each officer is addressed in turn by the President, she steps forward to receive
the torch and light a candle. After saying her part, she returns the torch to
the President and steps back.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Treasurer.
TREASURER:
Hope, like the gleaming
taper’s light
Adorns and cheers our
way;
And still, as darker
grows the night,
Emits a brighter ray.
The
candle of HOPE is now lighted.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Vice-President.
VICE-PRESIDENT:
Because it is more blessed to
give than to receive, I now light the candle of CHARITY. Charity is a virtue of
the heart more than of the hands. Better than money, is the Charity of a kind
word. Be thou charitable of the faults of your Sisters and mindful of your own.
PRESIDENT:
The candle of Love is lighted
from within your breast by a flame unseen. This torch lights the candle that
symbolizes LOVE. Love brought you into the world; watched over you in your
helpless infancy; guided you in childhood; inspires you in youth; and will
comfort you in old age.
Mysterious love,
uncertain treasure,
Hast thou more of
pain or pleasure,
Endless torments
dwell about thee,
Yet who would live,
and live without thee?”
PRESIDENT:
Sister Chaplain.
CHAPLAIN:
The light of honesty shines
forth as brilliant as the sun. Evil and dishonest deeds seek darkness and the
night. So now I light the candle of HONESTY, not to reveal its virtue, but
rather to drive away all secret mental reservations, if any now linger with you.
This virtue stands high in our regard. “An honest man is the noblest work of
God.”
PRESIDENT:
Sister Historian.
HISTORIAN:
Morality is the basis of
character. Had your morals been lax, we should have been obliged to deny you
membership in our Sorority. After this honor has been bestowed upon you, we
still reserve the right to ask you to surrender your pin in case your conduct
should become unworthy of a Sister of Alpha Iota. I now light the candle of
MORALITY so that its light may shine upon you always and keep your feet from the
paths of error and darkness. Remember always that Virtue is its own reward.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Marshal.
MARSHAL:
The stars of the night shine
not alone but in Fellowship with all the others. With this torch I now light the
candle of FELLOWSHIP. Your success and, in fact, your very happiness in life
will depend upon the nature of your Fellowship.
The associations
which you make not only in your Sorority but with those with whom you come in
daily contact will be the ultimate measure of your success. In order to keep the
candle of Fellowship bright and burning, you must select your friends with care.
We have selected you with that care which we ask you to use henceforth. With all
your Sisters in Alpha Iota everywhere, you may safely hold Fellowship.
Marshal
returns torch to President who extinguishes it. Very brief pause.
PRESIDENT:
These are the seven
candles—Faith, Hope, Charity, Love, Honesty, Morality and Fellowship—the
light of Alpha Iota shining through you.
Music
stops.
Sister Marshal, you
have guided the steps of our new Sister thus far, who, with bowed heads and in
all solemnity may now seriously meditate upon the virtues of the seven candles.
Pause
a minute for silent prayer.
Pledge, you have
shown yourself worthy and will now be further entrusted with the meaning of
Alpha Iota.
The underlying
principles of the Sorority are FRIENDSHIP and LOYALTY.
In the spirit of
friendship we are gathered here tonight. Sisters, I do beseech you that there be
no division among you, but that you may be perfectly joined together in the same
mind and in the same judgment. Be friends. To HAVE a good friend is one of the
highest delights of life. To BE a good friend is one of the noblest and most
difficult undertakings.
Friendship depends
not upon fancy, imagination, or sentiment, but upon character. There is no one
so poor that she is not rich if she has a friend; there is no one so rich that
she is not poor without a friend. Real friendship is abiding. Like charity, it
suffereth long and is kind. Like love, it vaunteth not itself, but pursues the
even tenor of its way. Friendship is a gift. Even fragments of friendship are
precious and to be treasured. To have one whole, real friend is the greatest of
earth’s gifts save one, and that is to be such a friend.
It is the human touch
in life that counts,
The touch of your
hand and mine.
It means more to the
human soul
Than shelter or bread
or wine.
“For shelter is
gone when night is o’er,
Bread lasts only a
day,
But the clasp of the
hand and the sound of the voice
Remain with the soul
always.”
The second great
virtue of Alpha Iota Sorority is Loyalty—loyalty to God, to your country, to
your school, to your employer, to your neighbor, to your Sorority, and to
yourself—for Friendship and Loyalty bring you close to the
Alpha is the first
letter of the Greek Alphabet, and means the beginning—that which gives you a
start in life. “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.” You must start at the
bottom of the ladder and develop slowly into the full reality of your powers.
Alpha stands for AMBITION, that stimulus which lifts you above the common mass
and creates within you the desire to achieve.
Iota is a Greek
letter signifying something of a minute nature. Iota stands for INITIATIVE, that
stimulus within you that leads to the fulfillment of all your ambitions. If you
would succeed, pay strict attention to details.
The password of Alpha
Iota is made up of the first two letters of Ambition and the first letter of
Initiative, which is “Ami,” the French word for “Friend.”
The motto of Alpha
Iota is “Study to Show Thyself Approved.”
The flower of Alpha
Iota is the American Beauty Rose.
The colors of Alpha
Iota are white and royal blue, representing Friendship and Loyalty.
The
Vice-President holds the coat-of-arms banner so it may be readily seen by the
Pledges and members. The President uses a pointer to indicate the several
insignia as she explains their meaning.
On the Alpha Iota
coat-of-arms, the Sphinx stands for Secrecy; the Rose, for Beauty; the Ionic
Column, for Strength; the Two Stars, for Friendship and Loyalty; the Open Book,
for Knowledge; and the Roman Fasces, for Authority. At the bottom of the
coat-of-arms are the Greek words, Alpha Iota.
Alpha Iota Sorority
is made up of select girls from the
The
Chaplain holds the pm banner so it may be readily seen by the Pledges and
members. The President uses the pointer.
The Alpha Iota pin
signifies the mark of efficiency and is the badge of honesty and integrity. The
seven pearls at the top of the pin symbolize the seven candles; the six pearls
on the panels represent the six symbols of the coat-of-arms; the center jewel is
symbolic of character; the cup of Friendship and the Greek letters, Alpha and
Iota, complete the meaning of the pin. Always wear the Alpha Iota pin so that
you may be readily identified by Sorority sisters wherever you may go.
When Sisters of Alpha
Iota meet, they salute one another with the recognition hand clasp. Listen well
while it is described to you. Squeeze the hand twice slowly, once for Friendship
and once for Loyalty; Follow with pressure of thumb (meaning Alpha); then with
pressure of little finger (meaning Iota).
The secrets of Alpha
Iota Sorority have nothing to do with commercial trickery, political deceit, or
moral shame. We stand for the first principles of Bookkeeping and
Accounting—that for every debit, there must be an equal credit.
Sisters, you will now
‘rise and assume the final vow of Alpha Iota. Let all of you raise your right
hand and repeat after me:
“I (give your full
name in unison), do solemnly swear / that I will cherish the word
“Friendship” / and will advance in America / the most upright of business
methods at all times; / that I will cherish the word “Loyalty”; / that I
will always keep in mind the lessons taught by the seven candles; / that I will
act as a moral and upright woman; / that I will place the welfare of the
Sorority above personal prejudice; / that I will give generously of my time and
effort for the good of the Sorority; / that I will cherish and preserve the
secrets of Alpha Iota. / May I be disgracefully expelled from this Sisterhood /
should I ever wilfully violate this, my solemn obligation. / So help me, God.”
Sister, you have
fulfilled all requirements of our Sorority as Pledge. I, therefore, welcome you
into full membership in Alpha Iota, the International Honorary Sorority of
Business, and present each of you with the flower of Alpha Iota, the American
Beauty Rose.
Marshal
and Secretary distribute roses. There are several appropriate songs which may be
played and sung during this part of the ceremony; i. e., “Love Sends a Little
Gift of Roses” and “Rose of Sharon.”
Let its beautiful hue
be an indication of your deep Loyalty to Alpha Iota, and its fragrance the
essence of true Friendship.
Closing Ceremony
PRESIDENT:
Members of Chapter, it gives me
deep pleasure to announce that the following pledges have fulfilled all
obligations and are now entitled to full membership rights.
Reads
names.
Sisters, we have
profited by our meeting and the bond of our Sorority has been strengthened. That
we may be refreshed and able to meet the tasks that each new day brings to us
all, It is well that we cease our labors and seek our rest. With befitting
humbleness and in token of our reverence, let us repeat together the benediction
of Alpha Iota.
President
raps three times with gavel, members rise to repeat the benediction as follows:
“We thank Thee,
Father, for Thy gift of peace,
For love and loyal
friends;
We play that faith
and courage may not cease,
Nor patience that
transcends
The stress and strain
the passing years may bring,
But grant us strength
to face
The daily task with
eager hearts that sing,
Enfolded in Thy
grace.” Amen.
PRESIDENT:
Sister Marshal, you will open
the doors of our meeting room that all may depart.
Marshal
opens doors and stands in doorway.
MARSHAL:
Sister President, the doors
have been opened, and the assembly is now ready to depart with proper decorum.
PRESIDENT:
I now declare Chapter of Alpha
Iota closed in due form. Depart as you came, Sisters all.
Music
while officers march out.
First Degree
Examination
All
Pledges must pass this examination to the satisfaction of the Sponsor of the
Chapter. The Written Examination shall be given by the Sponsor before
initiation. Answers to questions 16-17-18 must be given verbatim. The Oral
Examination is to be given after initiation.
Written Examination
1. Write the Greek
Alphabet, giving both the form and letter.
2. Give the roll of
active chapters and cities where located.
3. What are the
national offices?
National President,
National Vice-President, National
Secretary, National
Treasurer, National Historian, and
National Editor.
4. Name three persons
who hold national offices.
5. Who is the founder
of Alpha Iota?
Elsie M. Fenton.
6. When and where was
Alpha Iota founded?
Alpha Iota was
founded as a local organization at the American Institute of Business in
7. When was Alpha
Iota incorporated?
Alpha Iota was
incorporated under the laws of the State of
8. When is
Founder’s Day?
October twenty-first.
9. Give date of
founding of your local chapter.
10. Name five objects
of Alpha Iota.
1. To create and
perpetuate a friendly spirit among students of our school.
2. To extend friendly
courtesies to new students.
3. To build up a
continued loyalty to our Alma Mater.
4. To create and
perpetuate a friendly spirit among the members of the various chapters of Alpha
Iota.
5. To help each other
when possible in the securing of positions and promotions.
11. What determines
eligibility to active membership in Alpha Iota?
Every girl must be a
high school graduate or have had an equivalent education before entering this
school, must be doing superior work as a student, and must be of good character
and personality.
12. Name and explain
the four classes of membership.
ACTIVE — A member
attending school and faculty sponsors (except the sponsors of an alumna
chapter).
ALUMNA—A member who
has been out of school one month or longer, and faculty sponsors.
ASSOCIATE—A member
not eligible as an active or alumna but who has demonstrated her interest and
service to the school and sorority, and her election to the chapter has been
approved by the National Board of Governors. Not more than five associate
members may be elected by any one chapter during a twelve months’ period.
HONORARY—A member
whose professional ability is recognized in her community, and her name approved
by the local chapter and by the National Board of Governors.
13. Name the two
kinds of chapters.
There are two classes
of chapters, active and alumna.
(a) Active chapters
may be established in recognized schools, colleges, and universities of commerce
and business when granted charters by the National Board of Governors. The First
Degree Ritual is used for initiation into an active chapter.
(b) Alumna chapters
may be formed by groups of at least fifteen alumna members of Alpha Iota when
authorized by the National Board of Governors. Alumna chapters are designated by
the names of the cities in which they are located. The Second Degree Ritual is
used for initiating members from an active chapter into an alumna chapter.
14. What are the
colors and the flower of Alpha Iota?
White and Royal Blue.
The American Beauty Rose.
15. What is the motto
of Alpha Iota?
“Study to Show
Thyself Approved.”
16. What is the
benediction of Alpha Iota?
“We thank Thee,
Father, for Thy gift of peace,
For love and loyal
friends;
We pray that faith
and courage may not cease,
Nor patience that
transcends
The stress and strain
the passing years may bring,
But grant us strength
to face
The daily task with
eager hearts that sing,
Enfolded in Thy
grace.” Amen.
17. What does Alpha
Iota teach us?
Alpha Iota teaches us
that we cannot live unto ourselves alone, that friendship is above price; that
we profit only as we serve. It teaches us also to be loyal to our friends, to
our Sisters everywhere, and to our school. Its aim is to make of us, every one,
better women that we may add our mite to the general happiness and well-being of
the community in which we live.”
18. What should be
the attitude of Alpha Iota Sisters toward each other?
Those who have been
initiated into the mysteries of our Sorority should meet as sisters of the
blood—sharing home, sympathy, affection, and if need be, our worldly goods.
19. Why do you desire
to become a member of Alpha Iota?
20. List the offices
and present officers of your local chapter.
Oral Examination
The answers to the
following questions are never to be written. The Sponsor shall act as the
examining officer, and each question must be answered orally to her satisfaction
by every new member. This oral test should be given within a week after the
First Degree Initiation.
1. Explain the
meaning of the name of the Sorority.
2. What do the Alpha
Iota colors, white and royal blue, represent?
3. ‘What is the
password of Alpha Iota? Explain it.
4. Explain and
demonstrate the Alpha Iota hand clasp.
5. Name the seven
candles used in the initiation ritual.
6. Explain the
meaning of the six symbols in the coat-of-arms.
7. Explain the
meaning of the jewels in the Alpha Iota pin.
8. Explain the
meaning of the cup on the crest.
9. Repeat verbatim
the final vow of Alpha Iota.